A Moment to Remember
by Fairah
Summary: A certain Hyūga who is willing to put her life on the line. If there was one word that Hinata should never be called, that would be weak. Naruto knew it. The whole damn world should know it by now.
1. A Hyūga's Vow

**Hey. Hi. Hello. So I've come to realize that I have yet to make a NaruHina fan fiction, and that is unacceptable for me. So while I was overexciting (is that even a word?) myself about the new The Last: Naruto the Movie, I seriously wanted to know what happened within that blank gap from after the war ended to when Naruto becomes Hokage. This comes to mind and I just had to write it. **

**I hope you enjoy reading this little fan fic, and are you just as excited as I am for this movie?!**

**I do not own Naruto.**

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><p>Naruto ran as fast as he could towards the gates that led outside the Leaf Village. His breaths were somewhat uneven as he tried not to trip over his own two feet, but the possibilities of falling were very high.<p>

It has been a little over a year since the war ended, and Naruto has been pestering the sixth Hokage, Kakashi, to send him out on missions. Kakashi would send Naruto on missions alone that would take days, and during those solo missions, Naruto would sometimes meet up with Sasuke to see if he was staying out of trouble like he had promised. So far so good, Naruto would say when he and Sasuke went separate ways.

Naruto had just returned home four weeks ago from a mission, plus training, with Bee that lasted six months. When he returned home, his friends showed some slight changes to their appearance. Sakura's hair looked a lot smoother, and she even had bangs. Chōji had shorter hair, a small beard growing on his face and he looked a little bigger—or maybe it was just his round face. Naruto wasn't sure, and he sure as hell wasn't going to ask. Ino's hair grew a lot longer—the complete opposite from Chōji.

Naruto began to notice his hair was getting shorter, too. He doesn't even know when it even started disappearing. He must have been that distracted to not even notice his own physical appearance.

When Naruto returned home, he spent most of his days hanging out with whoever was free. There was only one day when Naruto had the chance to hang out with all his friends. All except for one, and Naruto had to ask.

_"__We haven't seen her since Neji's funeral," Kiba said with a disappointed look on his face._

_"__I've been hearing some rumors regarding the Hyūga clan a while ago," Shikamaru announced, catching everyone's attention._

_"__What kind of rumors?" Naruto asked as he leaned towards Shikamaru from across the table. _

_"__Well Neji was next in line to be heir of the Hyūga clan—"_

_"__I thought it was Hanabi," Ino said._

_"__She was, but because she is too young, they've decided to have Neji take her place until she was old enough. But since his death, Hanabi was next." Shikamaru took a sip from his glass._

_"__Was," Sakura repeated, catching Naruto's attention to that one word._

_"__It seems as though someone from the clan wants to be next in line."_

_"__Is he from the main house?" Ino asked. _

_Shikamaru shook his head. _

_"__None of you have tried to visit Hinata?" Naruto couldn't help but ask, feeling a bit irritated. _

_"__We have," Kiba replied, the same amount of irritation in his voice, too. "We've gone down there several times, but we were always told she was in a clan meeting. After several days of trying, we were eventually told that Hinata refuses to see anyone at the moment. We've asked why, but the only thing we've ever been told is that it's a Hyūga problem." Kiba's hands tightened around his glass. "That would explain why she hasn't shown up in a while."_

_"__Ah," Sakura quietly said, causing Naruto to turn his attention away from Kiba and to the pink haired woman next to him. "I heard Tsunade talking about the Hyūga's having a long discussion about the next heir. It was a discussion at first, but then it began to become an argument between two of the Hyūga's. That must have been Hanabi and the other Hyūga. It seems as though there is going to be a fight between the two. Maybe to see who is capable of leading the Hyūga clan."_

_"__I've heard this member is strong. Maybe as strong as Neji," Shikamaru stated, resting his chin on the palm of his hand._

_"__So they plan for Hanabi and this Hyūga member to fight," Ino muttered, a look of disgust shown on her face._

_Kiba sighed. "I don't think it's Hanabi who's going to fight this person."_

_"__It's Hinata," Shikamaru finished._

_"__Why Hinata?" Sakura asked as she looked between Kiba and Shikamaru, a look of confusion on her face._

_"__Hinata is always known for throwing herself in front of others to protect them from harm," Shino said from at the far end of the table. Naruto couldn't help but think of the times Hinata had always thrown herself in harm's way to protect others she cared for. Including him. "My guess is since Hanabi is too young, Hinata volunteered to fight, not to be next in line, but to protect Hanabi from losing her spot as heir." _

_"__**Calm down, kid. Your eyes are turning red," **__Kurama said. Naruto hadn't realized he was taking Kurama's chakra as he let out a deep sigh to calm himself down. _

_"__But then again, this is all but a rumor. I'm pretty sure the only one who truly knows, besides the Hyūga clan, is Kakashi," Shikamaru said as he stifled a yawn. _

Naruto had gone to see Kakashi and everything the group had discussed was true. Hinata was fighting this unknown man in order to protect what belonged to the main house. It seems as though Hinata had came to Tsunade just days after Neji's funeral to be relieved from any mission or assignment until the issue had been resolved. That was over a year ago.

Kakashi had informed Naruto where Hinata might be just before he left the Hokage's room. Once Naruto closed the door fully shut, he dashed off towards the woods outside the Leaf Village.

Naruto was now jumping from tree to tree looking for a certain Hyūga girl outside the walls of the Leaf Village. He wasn't sure how long he was looking, but it had been a while since he heard his stomach growl in complaint. However, Naruto wasn't going to give up on looking for Hinata.

Naruto landed on the ground once Hinata was in his sight. She was slightly hunched over, her hair draped over the sides of her face. Blood dripped down from her fingertips from her right hand while her left hand covered her eye. She was panting heavily as she stood up straight, only to stumble before catching her balance. She removed her hand from her eye and got into her fighting stance. Naruto slowly made his way towards her and noticed that the tree in next to her was practically dented in. She was so exhausted that she didn't know that she wasn't facing the tree anymore.

He was closer to her and was about to call her name when he noticed her knees go out from under her. Naruto quickly ran up to her and caught her in his arms before she hit the ground. Naruto slowly lowered himself to the ground with Hinata still in his arms. He sat down, resting his back against the broken tree, and rested Hinata's head on his lap.

He stared down at her, ready to call for help, until he noticed she had fallen asleep. He relaxed as he continued to look down at her. Strands of her hair stuck to her sweaty skin. She was covered in cuts and bruises. Any skin that was visible showed old and new cuts and bruises, from her feet, to her face. The palm of her hands were cut and covered in blood. Her left eye that was covered by her hand showed spots of blood. She must have overused her Byakugan.

Hinata must have been practicing for a long time. Naruto wondered if she even took breaks.

Naruto removed strands of her hair that stuck to her skin, feeling her damp, yet soft hair under the tips of his fingers. He let his fingers brush over her cuts and bruises on her cheek.

"You must really want to protect your family," Naruto whispered as he stopped at the corner of her left eye. "You're a lot stronger than you think."

"Naruto!" A voice called from afar, causing Naruto to turn his attention away from the sleeping Hyūga and towards the trees. Who was calling for him?

Hinata moaned in complaint. Naruto looked down at her and noticed her squinting eyes. Whoever was calling for him was going to wake Hinata up. He placed his hand over her ears, watching her as her face relaxed. The voice continued to call for him.

During the brief silence after his name was called for the tenth time, Naruto removed his hands from her ears to summon two of his clones. When the smoke disappeared, Naruto looked to one of his clones and motioned for him to find the owner calling his name. The clone nodded and left the three alone. Naruto looked at his other clone and motioned for him to help. The clone nodded as he walked up to the sleeping Hinata, a look Naruto was all too familiar with displayed on his clones face. Hurt.

The clone slid his hands under Hinata's head and slightly lifted it high enough for the real Naruto to move away. Naruto got to his knees and removed his jacket. Once his jacket was folded, he placed it under Hinata's head and watched as the clone lowered her head onto his jacket. The clone got off his knees and stood next to a kneeling Naruto. The familiar sound of Naruto's clone disappearing filled his ears. Naruto couldn't even control his chakra he was that distracted.

Naruto reached down to remove a leaf that had fallen from a tree in her hair. His body froze as he stared down at the sleeping girl. She looked so peaceful. It was as though she wasn't fighting for her family. She was just sleeping under the warm sun. So relaxed.

Naruto closed his eyes as his lips met hers. Her lips were so soft. They were not what Naruto had imagined. They fit perfectly against his—

Naruto's eyes shot open as he removed his lips from hers. He stared down at the sleeping Hyūga wide eyed before shooting up to his feet. He felt himself blush madly as he staggered back, his hand over his lips.

He…he kissed. Naruto kissed Hinata. Oh Neji would have had his head for this. _Hiashi _would have his safe zone for this!

"Naruto!" that voice called for him again.

Still in shock, Naruto made his way towards the voice calling his name.

"There you are—" Sakura stopped midsentence as she stared at Naruto. "Are you blushing?"

"No!" Naruto practically yelled as he walked past Sakura.

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" Naruto yelled as he walked faster. His heart beating quickly as though he ran three miles.

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><p><strong>Just a little fluff to brighten your day.<strong>

**It's three in the morning so it's not as great as I would have wanted it to be. But since I'm way to tired to try and fix it, you'll have to read what's already posted. **

**Thanks for reading.**

**Till next time~**


	2. A Hyūga's Regret

_**Hey. Hi. Hello. So since I posted A Moment to Remember, I kept getting more images of other things to add to this fic. After several days of debate, I have decided to turn this fic into several chapters of stuff. That means this chapter is Hinata's fight. I'm telling you now that I suck at writing fighting scenes, so bear with me. Had to fix it, so don't mind the reposting. OuO**_

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><p>Hinata hit the ground with so much force that she couldn't breathe as she continued to tumble down the street of Konoha.<p>

She finally came to a stop.

She was still for a moment as her forehead rested against the dirt ground before finally gasping for the air she desperately needed. She could taste the dirt in her mouth as she let out a final breath and forced her aching body to get up.

Hinata got to her feet and turned to face her opponent. Taichi stared down at her with a look of a man who was ready to kill. On the other hand, what caught Hinata's attention were the scared looks from the villager's faces. They shouldn't see what was happening in the Hyūga compound.

Hinata knew that making her way back towards the compound would not work because of how fast Taichi was. From where the Hyūga was standing, the Hokage Mountain was right behind her, so if she could make her way up to the top of the mountain, many people would be safe from the frightening person in front of her. As quickly as she could, Hinata turned her back to Taichi, and sprinted towards the top of the mountain.

"Where are you going, Hyūga! I'm not done with you yet!" Hinata heard him call after her. She could hear him laugh hysterically as he followed her up the mountain.

Hinata reached the top of the mountain, and without hesitation, ran towards the woods to lose him. However, the exhausted Hyūga fell to the ground. She forced herself to get back to her feet, but Hinata suddenly felt a hard object hit her stomach. Hinata turned to her side, gasping for air as she watched Taichi bring his foot back and swing right towards Hinata's stomach. Hinata did not scream out in pain as he continued to kick her in the stomach. She would not give him that satisfaction.

"Hey!" Taichi stopped kicking Hinata. "Touch her again and I'll kill you."

The voice sounded familiar, but Hinata couldn't tell who the voice belonged to. Could it have been Kiba? Ino perhaps? Sakura? Hinata couldn't tell as she forced herself to get up for what seemed like the umpteenth time.

"Well, well, look what we have here. It's your little friends, Hinata," Taichi said with a tone of amusement.

Friends? All of them were there?

"You Hyūga's are all the same. Stuck-up and need a swift kick to the head," Sakura said.

"Stay there," Hinata said as she finally got to her feet. She could hear the group protest, but Hinata ignored them as she kept her eyes on Taichi. "If you are not a Hyūga, then do not interfere. Please." Hinata got into her familiar fighting stance.

Taichi laughed dryly as he turned to Hinata. "Why do you keep trying?"

"Because"—because when Hinata starts something, she doesn't stop until the very end—"I am going to protect what belongs to my sister."

"Why would you want to protect your sister? All she did was look down on you. Your whole _family _looked down on you. You're weak."

Hinata kept her stern expression as she continued to stare at Taichi. "I know."

"Then why—" Taichi was interrupted.

"I know I'm weak. I once lost my way, but then I met my friends, and they showed me the way. They saved my life." Hinata let out a quiet sigh. She tried so hard not to look in their direction as she continued to stare at her opponent. "I became stronger than I was four years ago, and I am going to continue to become stronger in order to protect the main house like Neji did."

Taichi's grin made Hinata want to cower away. "Neji," he began as his grin grew wider. "Your cousin who died during the war." He pointed towards Hinata. "Wasn't it _you _who killed him?"

What? What did he say? Hinata killed Neji?

Hinata grew still, staring at him in disbelief, as Taichi continued to grin. "It was you. Neji died protecting you, and you did nothing."

Hinata took a step back, not knowing she went back into her old defense mechanism. She brought her hands to her chest. "I-I…" she trailed off, unable to comprehend the words Taichi had let out. "I killed Neji." No. That wasn't right, right? She couldn't have killed him—she wouldn't have let him die if she could have saved him. But she could have saved him. She had that chance.

Hinata couldn't hear what everyone else was saying. They were telling her something, but she couldn't understand them. "I killed him."

"And why is that?" Taichi asked.

"Because I was selfish again," she could barely mutter as her eyes began to sting.

Hinata always avoided that part. She didn't want to believe it, but a small part of her knew she was the reason Neji had died. She protected Naruto, but she couldn't protect Neji. Since his death, Hinata had nightmares about Neji's death. It was difficult for her to sleep, so when Taichi demanded to be heir, Hinata willingly volunteered to fight Taichi in order to distract herself and not sleep for days. She was afraid that when she fell asleep, the nightmares would come back.

The only time Hinata had a chance to sleep was when she would pass out from exhaustion during training. She was being selfish again.

"You did me a favor," Taichi started, giving a casual shrug as he ran his fingers through his short, black hair. "One stupid Hyūga is dead, and now all I'm left with is you."

Hinata stared at him. What was wrong with her? Hinata felt…angry. This was a new emotion Hinata had never felt before, and she was letting it take over her like a wave from the ocean. She had to stop. If she can't stop herself, Hinata would do something she would regret moments later.

_Stop. Stop—stop—stop—stop! _

It was too late. Hinata had run straight towards Taichi, wrapping her arms around his waist, and throwing them both off the Hokage Mountain. Hinata had held on tight as Taichi began to hit her in order to free himself from her grip, but Hinata was stubborn and did not let go.

_What are you doing? Is this how you handle Hyūga affairs? _

Hinata's eyes shot open. What _was _wrong with her? Yes Hinata had been mad before, but not to the extent of killing someone for it. This wasn't even following the Hyūga rules that were told before this fight started. Hinata was cheating. Just like Taichi.

No. Hinata was not like Taichi. Hinata was not going to win this fight by cheating.

As fast as she could, Hinata turned to the side, still holding onto Taichi, and pushed him. She watched him fall onto something she couldn't make out, but for Hinata, it was a relief to know he was safe.

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><p>Hinata slowly opened her eyes. Everything was a blur as she stayed very still. Could she move anything at all? When did she hit the ground?<p>

A strange figure crawled towards her. Hinata stared at the figure a bit longer before realizing Taichi was making his way towards her. His young face expressed the rage to kill once again. He was going to finish her off.

Hinata didn't care. If this was how she was going to die, then let it be. She deserves the cruel death Taichi had planned for her. She deserved it all without any cries or fear. Everything went black.

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><p>"Is she okay, Sakura?" someone had asked; though Hinata couldn't tell who the voice belong to.<p>

"She has a couple of broken ribs and a dislocated shoulder. Other than that, I can't tell just by looking at her," Sakura said.

Hysterical laughter filled her ears. "This fight isn't over yet! The winner wasn't announced, so let me go so I can kill her and finish this!"

"That bastard," a masculine voice said with such hate it made Hinata question who was that angry.

"Don't, guys," Sakura started, "This is still a Hyūga affair, and so let the Hyūga's take care of that bastard."

"Is she really okay?" It was another male, and he sounded concerned. Was it Kiba? Shino? Hinata couldn't tell. "Can she see us?" See them? Hinata could only see darkness.

"I don't know," Sakura muttered. "Hinata, can you see me?" she said gently right in front of her.

Hinata's eyes were closed, so how can she see Sakura or anyone for that matter?

A swooshing sound filled her ears before the sound of scrambling feet. "Take her back to the compound." It was her father.

"She needs to go to the hospital!" Who was that?

"We have a doctor waiting for her back at the compound. This is also a Hyūga matter, so I suggest you all stay out of it," her father said in his usual stern tone.

"Hinata is your daughter, so how can you let her fight against someone who wanted to kill her?!" This person was very mad. Was it Kiba? Shikamaru? Who was it?

"Hinata did what was right for the clan. She followed the rules and did not stray from what was supposed to happen. So I do not want to hear your complaints! Hinata—"

Where did the voices go?

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><p><strong><em>If you got this far, I congratulate you. I've always wanted to know what Hinata felt after Neji's death, but Kishi never covered it, so I wanted to throw in my piece because I felt like it. It's one in the morning, so I'm too lazy to fix any errors. My bad.<em>**

**_Till next time~_**


	3. A Hyūga's Tears

Hinata felt the doctor tighten the bandage on her head. "It will take longer for your eyes to heal, so I just want you to rest for the time being."

Hinata nodded in silence. How long has it been since the fight? Hours? Days? Weeks?

When Hinata had woken up who knows how long ago, she asked what had happened to Taichi.

_"__Taichi was disqualified. He did not follow the rules of the battle and was forced to leave the Hyūga clan. I believe that was several weeks ago," one of the nurses had answered as she handed Hinata her glass of water._

_"__Was I disqualified, too?" Hinata asked after taking a sip of her cool drink._

_"__No," Hiashi answered, causing Hinata to go still. "You followed the Hyūga rules and won the fight. You saved your sister place as heir. Neji would have been proud of you."_

Neji.

Hinata had fought so hard that day not to cry, but the memories of her cousin continued to come at her like a wave in the ocean. A wave that wanted to drown her.

"Miss Hyūga?" Hinata felt a hand over hers. She hadn't realized she was clutching onto her sheets.

"Is there an orange and black jacket anywhere?" she suddenly asked, loosening her grip on her sheets.

"Yes. It's placed on the nightstand," the female answered with a slight tone of confusion in her voice.

"May I have it, please?"

"Yes, of course." Hinata removed the sheets and slowly moved her legs to the edge of the bed.

She gripped the edge of her bed as she slowly got to her feet. Hinata hadn't felt the cool ground against her feet in a long time. A lot of the time Hinata had everything brought to her. They rarely let her do anything by herself without the help if someone else. It was too troublesome for the young Hyūga.

"Miss Hyūga, what are you doing?" the nurse had asked, sounding as though Hinata had done something really bad.

"I want to return the jacket to my friend," Hinata bravely said as she started to blindly walk. The nurse began to protest, but Hinata countered. "If my father wishes to be mad at me, then let him. However, I wish to feel the cold air and the smell of Konoha. I want to get out of here and visit Neji." Paying her respects and apologizing another ten times was something Hinata had to do. The nurse was silent as Hinata felt the presence of her father, but she remained quiet. "I will not run away again," she whispered.

"Very well," the nurse sighed as Hinata felt Naruto's jacket be placed in her hands and the nurse light grab onto Hinata's arm. Hinata smiled as she was led out of her room.

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><p>"Are we here?" Hinata asked as the nurse let her arm go.<p>

"Yes," she replied. "He is right in front of you." Hinata slowly got to her knees, feeling the small square surface under her fingertips.

"May I have a moment alone?" Hinata asked, hearing the nurse reply with a simple

"Yes. I will be at the entrance. Call for me once you are ready to leave." Hinata nodded as she heard faint footsteps leave.

Hinata didn't know whether the nurses had actually brought her to Neji's grave or if they just had her walk around the compound, but Hinata had to talk to Neji.

"It has been a year since I last came to visit you, and every day I'm wondering if you're mad at me for what happened. I thought I heard you calling my name the other day. I followed you until I was stopped by Naruto. He didn't hear you though, and the nurses didn't hear your voice either, but you kept calling me over and over again."

_Hinata. _

_"__Wait. You're too fast—" Hinata was cut off by a sudden hard object that she ran in to. She felt hands grasp her forearms. Did she find Neji?_

_"__Hinata? What are you doing here?" Naruto asked._

_She smiled happily. "Naruto, can you hear him, too?"_

_"__Hear who?"_

_Hinata._

_Hinata turned her head to the source of the sound. "Neji is calling me. You don't hear him?"_

_"__Hinata," Naruto began, sounding a bit saddened by Neji's choice to only call Hinata, "no one is calling—"_

_"__Hinata!" a female voice suddenly interrupted Naruto and caught Hinata off guard. She could hear faint footsteps become louder until they stopped completely. "You should not be out here. Why did you run away? Do you know how worried everyone is at the compound? You are not dressed properly for the cold. Come now, let's get you back home." Hinata felt a firm hand grasp her arm. _

_"__What? No. I have to go see Neji—he's calling me." But the woman did not stop as she continued to drag Hinata away. "No! I have to find Neji!"_

"I'm going insane. You're not here anymore." Hinata placed her hand on her chest. "But you are here. I can't sleep anymore." Hinata removed the wet bandage from around her head, irritated with being unable to wipe away her tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered, "I will always be sorry for what I could not do for you. I will never be able to repay for what you did for me, but I will protect everything you cared for until the day I die. I'm sorry I let you die. I'm truly sorry."

"Lady Hinata, why did you remove your bandage?" the nurse had asked as Hinata got to her feet.

Hinata wiped away the remaining tears that were on her cheeks. "It was wet," she simply said as she felt the nurse take hold of her arm and lead her somewhere. "Can we find Naruto now?"

"Of course. I saw him just minutes ago. He was making his way towards the Hokage's office," the nurse replied as they continued to walk. Several minutes had passed by until the nurse had stopped walking. "Naruto Uzumaki has spotted us and is now making his way towards us," the nurse whispered.

Hinata nodded, ignoring her loud heart beats. "May I have a minute alone with him?"

"As you wish." Hinata could hear the footsteps of the nurse fade away.

"Hinata," Naruto said, catching her off guard. When did he reach her so quickly?

She could feel her grip on his jacket tighten as she gave him a small smile. "I wanted to return your jacket to you a while ago, but I never had the chance," she bravely said as she held the jacket out a bit, unsure as to where Naruto was standing. However, she felt the jacket slowly slip from her grasp. She smiled as silence took over. Hinata was unsure as to what to say next. Her heart was becoming louder with each passing second. "I suppose I should go. You must be busy," she said, feeling proud that she had yet to stutter. "Goodbye, Naruto." Hinata slowly took steps back, waiting for the nurse to lead Hinata away, but she felt someone grab her wrist lightly.

"It wasn't your fault," he said as Hinata went still. "You didn't kill Neji." Hinata could feel the tears coming back as she tried so hard to keep them from pouring out. Hinata felt his other hand cup her cheek and wipe away her spilt tears. "If you're going to blame yourself for a Neji's death then so am I." Hinata opened her mouth to protest, but Naruto continued to talk. "Not just Neji, but everyone else. They risked their lives for me." Hinata closed her mouth and continued to listen to him. "Neji risked his life so you can help save this world and protect the Hyūga clan. You held more than one life, too, Hinata." Naruto tugged on her wrist, brining her closer to him. She felt his hand that was on her cheek move to the back of her head while his other hand wraps itself around her. He hugged her tightly as Hinata continued to cry, feeling the warmth she hadn't known disappeared consume her.

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><p><strong>So this is where the three part story ends, and the random moment's in Naruto's life begins. From this point on, we're going to follow Naruto and see from his point of view his memorable moments with Hinata. Hence the title. All of it is after The Last: Naruto the Movie, so you will see them be a couple and all that cute stuff. Look forward to it.<strong>

**Till next time~**


	4. A Hyūga's Lips

Naruto lay sprawled across the floor in his small apartment. He hadn't known how long he was staring up at the ceiling, but he could have sworn the color was slightly changing.

He let out what seemed like his hundredth sigh today. Naruto was completely bored. Sakura and Ino were busy working at the flower shop and hospital; Chōji and Shikamaru were on a mission with Tenten; Lee was gaining youth with Guy; and Kiba, Shino, and Hinata were on a mission. Naruto had come home from a mission recently, and just a day before the he came home, Hinata and her group had left for a mission.

It's been two months since Naruto had last seen Hinata, and Naruto missed her like hell. It's been three months since Naruto and the rest had come back from the moon, and it also meant that it had only been three months since Naruto and Hinata started dating. Within that first month, Naruto and Hinata rarely saw one another before Naruto was sent on a mission.

Now with no new mission, Naruto eagerly awaited Hinata's arrival. He missed her voice, her smile, her laugh, her hands, and her lips. Naruto had only kissed Hinata twice, and that was when she was asleep a year ago and after their fight with Toneri. Now all Naruto kept thinking about was her soft lips when he was alone. He wanted to kiss her once more. He wanted to feel that spark that would make his heart race a hundred times faster.

Naruto groaned sitting up and stared at his empty apartment. There was nothing for him to do inside, but there sure as hell wasn't anything for him to do outside since the rain was pouring harder than ever. If the bad weather were to continue like, this Naruto's lights would go out. He would be for sure screwed then. Thunder roared outside his apartment.

He turned himself and let his legs unfold under his coffee table. He placed his elbow onto the table before resting his chin on the palm of his hand. Thunder continued to roar as flashes of lightning could be seen from the corner of his eye.

Once again, Naruto let his mind wander to Hinata as his eyes drifted towards his front door. He's never felt like this: heart rapidly beating, butterflies flying around in his stomach, thoughts continuing to be filled in by a certain dark blue haired woman.

When did he grow feelings for her? Naruto knew it wasn't when he saw her memories. No, that seemed too rushed for him to suddenly like her. It had to have been before that, but when? Naruto's noticed Hinata before—such as during her fight with Neji, when she saved him, Kiba, and Shino against the huge wasp during one of their missions to find the Bikochu beetle, when he saved her from disappearing in the quicksand after protecting him from dying, when she saved him from Pain, and when she saved him again from Tobi.

Over the years Hinata had become stronger, and after she had confessed her feelings to him, Naruto wasn't sure how to reply. Nevertheless, Hinata continued to stay strong and never asked for a reply. Now Naruto had wished he had answered her confession long ago. When Naruto had finally confessed his feelings for her, Hinata left with Toneri shortly after. That one silent rejection was like a blow to the chest that was ten times worse than Sakura's continuous rejections when he used to ask her out on a date. To his luck, Hinata's rejection was only to save her sister, but to Naruto it only meant that when she was his, he was never going to let her go. He would hold on to her, love her, and protect her until she didn't want him anymore. He would be Hinata's forever.

Kurama began to chuckle, catching Naruto slightly off guard. When Kurama's laughter subsided, he spoke up, **"You're an idiot completely drowning in love." **Naruto frowned. Must he always be the idiot in a conversation? **"At least you fell for the girl who doesn't hit." **

Naruto grinned happily as he thought of Sakura and her numerous hits that were aimed towards the poor hero. Compared to Sakura, Hinata had only hit Naruto purposely once, and with that one hit, Naruto came back to reality and saved the world.

Naruto closed his eyes as he began to think. Naruto really fell for Hinata, but he was still an idiot who needed help in seeing what was in front of him. "Am I in love?" he asked Kurama, who only sighed before a knock was heard on his door.

Everyone he knew was busy, so Naruto couldn't help but let out a sigh as he slowly got up and made his way towards his front door. Are these little girls that excited to give Naruto another gift? He didn't mind the gift giving, but Naruto couldn't help but wish for some privacy.

**"****Or it's the Uchiha boy."**

Sasuke has been known for coming to Naruto's apartment from time to time unannounced. However, the chances of it being Sasuke were very slim because Sasuke had once never knocked on Naruto's door. Sasuke was more of a breaking and entering kind of person.

Thunder roared once again as Naruto opened the door taking a deep breath.

Naruto's eyes met with the woman before him. Her dark blue hair clung to her fair skin while water drops fell from the tips of her hair. She was breathing heavily as her milk white eyes stared straight into his. If he looked hard enough, Naruto could see the tinge of lavender in them.

She smiled at him. It was a smile that made Naruto's heart race. When she would smile, Naruto would forget the world around him. Nothing existed in the world except for the angel like beauty in front of him, and when she said his name, Naruto couldn't help himself. He practically threw himself at her as his arms wrapped around her, both stumbling until she was pinned between Naruto and the railing.

She was here. In his arms, Hinata was _here. _She smelled like rain with a hint of cinnamon. It was intoxicating.

"Ah," she said quietly, her hands clutching onto the sides of his black shirt. "You're warm."

Naruto had slowly come back to reality as he began to notice she was shaking in his arms. He moved away from her, feeling his shirt cling to him. She looked up at him, a smile revealing itself to him. He wanted to hold her again, but resisted the urge to as he took her hand in his and led her inside his apartment.

Once Hinata was inside his apartment, Naruto closed the door behind her, leaving his hand on the door. He kept his head down, looking at their intertwined fingers. She was inside now. He could hold her now. Naruto could hold her all he wanted and not feel uneasy about the lurking eyes. He could…

Naruto let out a quiet sigh as he removed his hand from the door and slipped his other hand out from hers. Without looking at her, he made his way towards his room to grab a pair of dry clothes for Hinata before stepping out of his room and looked at her from down the hall. With his hand, he motioned for her to make her way towards him.

Hinata was a bit hesitant, but walked up towards the blond. "Take a shower." He handed her the pair of clothes. "Hopefully you won't catch a cold. I'll take your wet clothes and wash them before you head home."

* * *

><p>Naruto stared up at the ceiling as he lied on his couch. Everything was silent in his apartment. Naruto wasn't sure what Hinata was doing, but not seeing her was killing him. It's only been twenty minutes and he already wanted to hold her.<p>

**"****Are you going to devote your life to just holding her?" **Kurama mocked.

"If I could, I probably would," Naruto whispered, running his hand through his hair as he sat up. "I need a glass of water," he mumbled as he got up from the couch and made his way towards the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water.

**"****I can understand wanting to hold her forever after almost losing her several times, but I don't think she'll be going anywhere for a while." **Naruto couldn't help but nod in agreement as he took a sip from his glass before setting it down and making his way back towards his comfortable couch. **"However, I'm not sure how long she's willing to be by your side if you have a bunch of drooling fans who don't know you're already taken. I'm pretty sure the only people who know that you two are together now are the ones who were on the rescue mission with you. Her ****_father _****doesn't know that you two are together." **

Naruto froze. That's right, since they came back from the rescue mission, Naruto and Hinata rarely had time to announce anything. Naruto let out an aggravated groan as he crouched down, running his hands through his hair. He has yet to mention anything about their relationship to anyone. Naruto sat down as he rested his arms on his propped up knees. He stared down at the wooden surface in deep thought. "I'm such an idiot," he whispered, letting out an infuriated sigh.

"Are you okay?" Naruto looked up to see Hinata standing at the end of the hall looking down at him with a look of concern. Naruto hadn't even left the kitchen when he decided to take a seat on his hardwood floor.

He gave Hinata a cheeky grin as he scratched the back of his head. "I'm okay. Just thinking, that's all." But Hinata knew he was lying. He could practically see it on her face that she didn't believe him. He sighed as Hinata made her way towards him wearing his orange shirt and black shorts. She got on her knees and sat in front of him between his legs. She was being ever so patient as she waited for him to speak. Naruto sighed as he lifted his hand to cup her cheek. He watched her as her right eye slightly closed, and she leaned in to his touch. "I've just missed you," he whispered.

Hinata closed her eyes completely as her hand reached for his hand that touched her cheek. "I'm happy," she said as she reopened her eyes. Naruto cocked his head to the side in confusion. "Each day I would ask myself if I was going to wake up. This doesn't seem real; it feels like a dream. I had to come here to see if it were a dream or not, and it seems like I'm awake, but every time I look at you, I must be dreaming." Naruto's bandaged hand moved up to cup her cheek. "I was extremely happy to tell you how I felt. I was never expecting you to return the feeling. Your heart was somewhere else, but I was just happy to have finally confessed after so many years of keeping quiet."

Naruto couldn't help but grin at the memory of a twelve-year-old Hinata. Naruto had always called her weird, but now that he understood and grew up, she was just being shy. Naruto watched as Hinata's expression change from content to a surprised one. His grin instantly faded as he stared at his girlfriend alert and concerned. "What's wrong?"

Hinata raised her hand towards him. He felt the tips of her fingers touch his cheek. "Your smile," she whispered. "It's so warm, so bright. It's welcoming." She smiled. "I always feel warm and safe when you smile." Ignoring his loud heart beat and blushing face, Naruto slowly pulled Hinata towards him. "Naruto?" she said when they were inches apart from each other.

He could feel her breath against his lips. "Can I," he began in a whisper. "Can I kiss you?"

Hinata was quiet as she stared at him before giving a slight nod. Naruto's eyes were half closed as he closed the gap between them. He watched as Hinata's eyes came to a close before he closed his eyes and felt the sparks course through him.

Her lips were so soft Naruto just might become addicted to them.

* * *

><p><strong><em>It's three in the morning, and you'd think I would have learned by now not to write so late. Guess I will never learn. <em>**

**_Any who, here's another chapter for you. Not sure when the next chapter will be posted, but I'll try and get one up some time after Christmas. I'm tired, so I'm gonna pass out for the day._**

**_Till next time~_**


	5. A Hyūga's Beauty

Trying to be cool was not who Naruto was. Naruto has always been a confused idiot who saved the world, yet when saving the world, he still looked like an idiot.

So when Naruto was leaving the Hyūga compound, he knew he wasn't walking like a confident badass who knew what he was doing. No, Naruto could feel his shaking self practically running away from the compound that held the strict look of a certain Hyūga.

_"__No," Hiashi said the second Naruto stood in front of him._

_"__You didn't even let me start!" Naruto protested. _

_Hiashi sat comfortably in his chair in the Hyūga garden. His eyes were closed as he sat in silence. Off into the distance Naruto could hear the sound of water and birds chirping. This must have been Hiashi's break from all the Hyūga matters, and Naruto picked the perfect time to barge in. "And I do not wish to hear you start," Hiashi stated, never opening his eyes to look at the blond. _

_"__I'm not leaving until you hear me out." _

_Naruto stared at Hiashi for who knows how long. One, five, maybe six hours, but when he would look at the sundial off into the distance, it had only been twenty minutes since Naruto made his statement. However, if it's for Hinata, Naruto will stand in that very spot for days if necessary. He will not move until Hiashi would hear him out. _

_Hiashi sighed, causing Naruto to avert his eyes back to the elder Hyūga. Hiashi was staring right at Naruto; his pure, strict white eyes boring into the young hero. His eyes said it all. They told everything Naruto knew he was thinking without a word being said. _

_Naruto, nevertheless, kept his eyes right on Hiashi. "I know I don't deserve her. I practically passed all the signs of her feelings before her confession, and I still said nothing until Hanabi was taken. Hinata is kind, smart, brave, beautiful, and strong. I'm not suited to be with such elegance, and in all honesty, I'm not sure if I can call this love." Naruto took a deep breath. "But I still want to be with her. I want to protect her, make her smile, never let her cry again, give her the confidence she needs, and so much more. I want to get to know her. I want to know what she was like when she was young. I want to know her favorite things—what she hates." Naruto's eyes never wavered from Hiashi who could practically kill Naruto on the spot if he wanted. "I'm asking for your permission to date your daughter." _

Somehow Hiashi gave Naruto permission. Naruto had his approval! When Hiashi said yes, Naruto had let out a shaky breath he hadn't realized he was holding in. Naruto had thanked Hiashi and promised to never hurt his daughter.

Naruto had excused himself and was quickly making his way out of the compound not only because he wanted to tell Hinata the great news, but because he wanted to get as far away as possible so he could collapse from the fear he was trying to hide in front of Hiashi.

But Naruto was practically letting it show the second he stepped out of the gates to the compound. It didn't matter though. All that mattered was finally telling Hinata the great news.

Naruto was now walking casually through the streets looking for a certain dark blue haired beauty. She could be anywhere in Konoha. As Naruto tried to think of some places as to where Hinata could be, familiar laughter filled his ears. Casting his eyes down a different street, Naruto could see all ten of his comrades and an unfamiliar figure.

That unfamiliar figure was standing next to Hinata, laughing as he touched her hair. Naruto could feel his eye twitch as he watched the scene unfold before him.

**"****Are you jealous, kid?" **Naruto could hear Kurama ask, but he ignored the laughing fox as he made his way towards the group.

When he reached the group, they didn't seem to notice him as Naruto stared at the man next to Hinata. His bright smile could blind someone as he ran his slender fingers through his shaggy, red hair while his green eyes continued to stare down at Hinata.

"Oh, Naruto," he heard Sakura say as her laughter died down. "When did you get here?"

"Just now," he replied, never taking his eyes off the red haired man.

"Ah, this is Daisuke. Daisuke, this is Naruto," Ino said as she touched his forearm.

"Oh, the hero," he said as he smiled.

Naruto only gave a curt nod, not bothering to give his usual grin to new people.

There was an uneasy silence in the group before Kiba coughed. "Um, yeah, so Daisuke and I were about to have a little competition to see who can do the most push-ups. Do you want to—"

"Yeah," Naruto interrupted as he practically glared at the unfamiliar bastard.

"Then let us get ready," Lee said happily, pushing Naruto away from Daisuke and into his position. "Get into your positions," Lee announced as he stood in front of the three competitors while the rest of the group stood behind. Naruto got into his push-up position as he felt sudden energy course through him. "Ready."

**"****Don't make yourself look like an idiot when you finally have permission to date Hinata." **Kurama sighed.

"Set."

_"__I won't lose to this bastard."_

"Go!" Lee yelled as Naruto began his push-ups.

* * *

><p>How long has this been going on? Naruto had lost count after one hundred. Now all he could think about was beating Daisuke. Kiba had quit a long time ago, but the red haired bastard was still going!<p>

Naruto could feel himself slowing down as he stared at the little puddle of sweat he had created on the ground. He wasn't going to give up until _he _gave up. If he wasn't going to stop anytime soon, then Naruto was going to stop, too.

"You guys look exhausted. Why don't you stop already?" Kiba sighed.

"Can't," Daisuke grunted. "I'm a little competitive, so I have to win."

"Naruto?" Kiba asked, waiting for the blond to respond.

"I'm. Not. Losing," he said between each push-up.

Groans were heard throughout the group as Naruto and Daisuke continued their war.

"Just give it up already!" Sakura yelled in aggravation as Naruto felt a foot on his side push him. Naruto fell on his side, exhausted and breathing heavily. Looking off to the distance, he could see Daisuke in the same position as Naruto.

"Why. Are you. So. Competitive?" Daisuke asked between breaths.

Naruto forced himself to get to his feet. He stared down at his competitor as his breaths began to slow. "Because she's mine," he whispered.

"What?" Ino said, cupping her ear with her hand. "We can't hear you," she said in aggravation.

Naruto clenched his fists. "She's mine!" he yelled. He pointed at Hinata as he continued to stare down at the shocked red head. "She belongs to me!" Naruto felt embarrassed as he turned around and began to storm off, ignoring the disappointed look from Sai and Sakura, the smirk Shikamaru had, and the shocked expressions from everyone else. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around to face the group once more. "And don't touch my girlfriend," he said before turning back around and stomping away.

That would be a perfect example as to why Naruto's an idiot. Getting jealous over a simple gesture towards Hinata, but he couldn't help it. Naruto's never felt that way towards anyone. He felt possessive over Hinata. He didn't want to, but he just did. He's a possessive, jealous idiot.

Naruto sat on the bench that looked over Konoha. Years ago, Naruto tried to stop a fight between Sora and Kiba, but it only ended up becoming a free for all between Sora, Kiba, Chōji, Lee, and Naruto.

He hadn't heard from Sora for a while, but Naruto could only assume that he was busy or maybe found love and became some happy monk.

Naruto sighed, burying his face in his hands, and rested his elbows on his knees. No matter how hard Naruto would try and think about anything else in the world, his mind would still wander to Hinata. Even now Naruto's mind wandered to his angelic girlfriend who was being flirted with moments ago. Though there'd be no point in hiding, Naruto would have to talk to Hinata eventually.

Eventually came too soon, however, as Naruto removed his hands only to meet a pair of white eyes. He sat up as he stared down at Hinata who was on her knees in front of him. Her hand was extended towards him, but was brought back to her chest, as though she was going to get his attention. He looked away, feeling embarrassed, but from the corner of his eye, he could see her reaching for him again.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked, turning his attention back to Hinata, watching her hand stop midway towards him. She shook her head. He looked down at her hand that was between them. He took her hand in his and lowered it. He looked down at her delicate hand and slightly tightened his grip on it. "You're mine," he stated, glancing up at her. He didn't bother to ask the question—he'd rather state his opinion because for once he wanted to be selfish.

"Of course," she said, and Naruto couldn't help but lift his head to fully look at her.

"Forever," he mumbled, wondering if she would agree to his life-time request.

She gave him the loving smile Naruto had grown addicted to. "Until you don't want me anymore."

Naruto had let her hand go and reached out for her, bringing her into a tight hug. He felt her stiffen by his sudden action, but she soon relaxed into his embrace and wrapped her arms around his waist.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Christmas was yesterday. There are those who don't celebrate it, so happy late Thursday. <em>**

**_I've decided to post this one on Friday—though barely—and tomorrow is Hinata's birthday. I'm hoping to post another chapter tomorrow in I guess you can say final farewell to the Naruto series. We are celebrating this shit by going down in history with a bang. _**

**_Till tomorrow~_**


	6. A Hyūga's Laugh

_"__Naruto, please date me!" another female asked between the yells and screams of other girls. _

_Naruto stood in front of Ichiraku's, scratching the back of his head as he politely denied the unknown girl. He was swarmed by girls. Each girl had a present to give to him. _

_He quietly sighed. Being the hero had its ups and downs. This exact moment would be the downfall. _

_Naruto could see Hinata off into the distance unsure of what to do. In situations like the one Naruto was in, Hinata would avoid trying to pry her way in to get to him. She would usually wait until the girls had left. _

_"__Sorry," Naruto started, pushing past all the girls, "but my girlfriend is here." All the girls had stopped screaming and stared at him in complete shock. Naruto ignored the confused girls as he made his way towards his contemplating girlfriend. Naruto took her hand in his, catching her off guard. She stared up at him surprised, but Naruto just smiled as he leaned in to kiss her cheek. Gasps were heard from behind him as he smiled down at the blushing Hyūga. _

Naruto couldn't help but smirk at the memory as he ran past the closed Ichiraku Ramen shop. He had been training with Sasuke in a secluded area for several days, and now he was eagerly trying to reach his apartment where he had asked Hinata to wait for him after his training was over. He held on to the Christmas gift tighter, making sure not to drop it. The two weren't able to spend Christmas together, but Naruto had promised to spend the next day together. The whole day.

Now Naruto was trying to get home after missing practically the whole day. It was past ten o'clock, and everyone was already asleep. Would she be there? Would she be awake and waiting for him?

Naruto had finally reached his apartment door, breathing heavily as his slightly shaking hand reached for the doorknob. He quietly opened the door only to see nothing but darkness. He let out a quiet sigh as he took a step inside his home before closing the door behind him. He took off his shoes, noticing a pair next to him from the faint light that filled his empty house. They were a smaller size compared to his. He could feel his heart leap as he ran straight for his room, skidding to a stop as he almost past his bedroom door. He flicked the lights on to his bedroom only to see it empty. He quickly checked the bathroom, but found it empty as well. The only place Naruto could check last was the living room.

His heart beat was loud as he cautiously made his way towards the final area he was hoping Hinata would be in. Naruto slowly reached for the light switch, hearing the light flicker as he flicked it on. The lights delayed as though it was teasing him before the room was filled with the bright light, and on his sofa was the sleeping angel. He couldn't help but smile as he made his way towards her.

Hinata lied on her side, one arm draped over her stomach while the other dangled over the edge of his couch. He sat down next to her sleeping form. Her breaths were slow and steady as he took her hand in his, kissing the tips of her fingers. He set the present down on his lap before brushing strands of her hair back behind her ear. Naruto watched her as she suddenly shifted in her sleep, but he never let her hand go as she moved to her back.

She mumbled something unintelligible to Naruto, but just hearing her voice made Naruto's stomach flutter with butterflies. Before he could lean down and kiss her, he noticed blank pieces of papers, a thin paintbrush, and black paint scattered on his coffee table. He looked at the paintbrush and paint, then back towards his sleeping girlfriend. He continued to look between the two as he displayed a wide grin on his face.

* * *

><p>Naruto laughed even harder as his blushing girlfriend pouted from across the couch.<p>

Hinata had woken up to Naruto trying to conceal his laughs from her, but when he saw her look down at the paintbrush in his hands, she immediately got up and went to the bathroom. He heard her gasp and rush back to where he sat. Naruto busted up laughing as he stared at his work of art.

He didn't feel bad for what he did because to him, Hinata looked too cute for Naruto to even consider apologizing. Even though Hinata was quick and alert, Naruto somehow managed to paint three whisker marks on either side of her cheeks. The only thing that woke her up was his stifling laughter. Naruto fell off the couch as he continued to laugh. He couldn't remember when was the last time he laughed as hard as he was now, but his laughing subsided when he felt Hinata climb on top of him, pinning his arms between her legs.

"H-Hinata wait—" Naruto begged, but was ignored as Hinata brought the paintbrush down to his face. Naruto shut his eyes as he felt the paintbrush against his nose.

When he reopened his eyes, Hinata sat back looking down while her body shook. He sat up bringing his hand to his nose before bringing it back to see black paint at the tip of his first two fingers. He looked back at Hinata who still hand yet to look in his direction.

Did he go too far?

"Hinata?" he said quietly, feeling a bit frightened if he had hurt his girlfriend. When she didn't reply, Naruto reached out towards her.

Naruto was surprised when Hinata started laughing, and when she looked up at him, she laughed even harder. He couldn't help but smile as he listened to her laughing.

To him, Hinata's laugh sounded angelic like. It was a type of music that could make anyone feel at ease.

He loved her. Naruto loved Hinata with all of his being. Ever since he first told her he loved her two years ago, Naruto had told Hinata he loved her every day when he would see her. Even now as Naruto watched Hinata abruptly stop laughing and stared at him wide eyed, he still loved her.

Naruto stopped smiling as he stared at his surprised girlfriend. Why did she stop laughing?

**"****Kid," **Kurama started. Naruto listened patiently as he continued to stare at his girlfriend a bit confused at the situation he was suddenly in. **"You just said you two should get married."**

_"__What?"_

But Hinata's expression said it all. "Ah, I'm sorry—forget what I said. I don't know what I was thinking," Naruto quickly said, smiling as he starched the back of his head. He averted his eyes as he felt his face heated up.

"Okay," she muttered.

Naruto's smile disappeared as he turned his attention back to his girlfriend. "What?" he asked.

"Okay," she said again, looking him straight in the eyes. "I'll marry you."

Naruto's eyes widened. "Really?" Hinata nodded. "I don't have a ring."

"I don't need one."

"You won't be disappointed with me?" He wanted to make sure. Naruto wanted to make sure Hinata knew what she was going to do with her life if she were to marry him. Her life wouldn't be the same once she married him.

"Never," she whispered with a warm smile showing on her angelic face.

"Then," Naruto began, cupping her cheek with one hand while the other took her hand in his, "will you marry me?"

Hinata brought his bandaged hand to her lips. She kissed his knuckles. "Of course." She smiled brightly.

Naruto couldn't tell what he was feeling; happy, excited, or thrilled—every freaking happy word in the book. He grinned as he cupped her cheeks with his other hand and brought her down to kiss her. Hinata returned the kiss just as eager.

Naruto didn't want to break the kiss. He wanted to claim her at this very moment, but he had to tell her something. Much to their dismay, Naruto broke the kiss. Both were panting as he rested his forehead against her. "Happy birthday," he said between breaths.

Hinata moved away and stared at him a little confused. He motioned towards the clock that hung on the wall on the far left. Hinata turned her attention towards the clock and smiled.

December was the busiest month for the two. Having to celebrate three special events for the two was the best thing in the world. Their anniversary had started in the middle of the month, and soon after, Christmas came along before they ended their month with Hinata's birthday. For Naruto, he never knew how much he looked forward to December. No month could compare to this month because he was able to spend more time with her inside his apartment due to the snow and cold.

But now, Naruto would be able to spend the rest of his life with her.

December was the best month ever for the young hero.

* * *

><p><strong>The Last came out a few weeks ago. Naruto came to an end. It's like my childhood came to an end and I am now entering adulthood. However, we've all learned something from Naruto, and I'm glad to finally see him fall in love and have little adorable babies. I mean, have you seen them on Tumblr!? They're so freaking adorable! <strong>

**I'll try and post another chapter before this year ends, but those chances are pretty slim.**

**Till next time~**


	7. A Hyūga's Hand

Naruto watched as his group of friends laugh and talk to one another as he sat on the sofa. When it came to throwing a surprise party for Tenten, Lee became too excited that Naruto and Kiba had to keep him down in order to actually surprise the young brunette.

It was exhausting for Naruto. Keeping an excited Lee down was like training for three days straight. It took a toll.

Giggles were heard next to the blond. Naruto turned his attention away from the group and towards his fiancé who was sitting next to him. She was smiling as she stared down between them. He followed her gaze and his eyes landed on their hands, their fingers intertwined with each other. He brought his gaze back up to her, tilting his head slightly in confusion.

Hinata looked up at him. "Whenever we're next to each other, your hand always seems to be holding mine." She smiled her usual angelic smile. "I've tried to keep a distance from you, but you always seem to unconsciously make your way towards me and hold my hand."

Naruto was a little astonished. Had he always held her hand when they were together?

There were times when he would see her at a distance talking to comrades and have that urge to hold her hand, but that was during the first year of dating.

She was his and he still held her hand even when he didn't notice he was doing it.

_Naruto ran up to the group of familiar faces as they talked amongst themselves while waiting for the blond hero. _

_"__Hey," he said when he was in ear reach of them. _

_Their talking seized as they turned their attention to Naruto. _

_"__I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up or not," Shikamaru stated once Naruto had reached his group of friends. _

_Naruto scratched the back of his head, giving a small smile towards his comrades. "Konohamaru and I got into trouble for playing around. Sorry." _

_The group sighed as Naruto laughed. It was typical of Naruto to never show up on time, so they shouldn't expect anything more from the blond. He was always late to something—he could make a list if others wanted it, but that list could take a while to even make a dent. _

_"__Let's just go," said Ino. _

_Naruto watched as Ino start towards the designated area with Chōji and Shikamaru in tow. Sakura stopped to give Naruto a look of disappointment before following the trio. Before Naruto could state his reason in protest, the young blond felt a sudden weight at the back of his neck causing his body to bend forward._

_"__The great Uzumaki always getting into trouble," Kiba stated as he fully wrapped his arm around Naruto's neck to bring him into a headlock. _

_Naruto grunted as he brought his arm up to do the same. The two were leveled as they stumbled forward. "What I do is not as bad as what you should get in to trouble for. Pissing in public should be a crime."_

_"__Akamaru is the one that pisses around the village. Why the hell is that a crime?" Kiba retorted, both tightening their grip on one another. _

_"__I'm not talking about your partner, Kiba. You think I don't see you pissing midair with Akamaru next to you? You can't keep using the excuse of your dog—someone will find out." Plus Naruto wasn't going to let Kiba go if he were to piss around in front of Hinata. Kiba would be buried into the ground for that. _

_"__It will not matter if you two get into trouble or not. With small penises, the chances of having a wife or girlfriend are very slim. Getting into trouble will heighten your chances to get any sexual intimacy." _

_The tightening grip duo had on one another was instantly released as they stared at Sai with the intent to kill. Sai, however, never seemed bothered as he continued down the road behind Sakura. _

_"__I swear I'm going to kill that bastard," Kiba muttered under his breath. _

_"__Not unless I kill him first," Naruto answered. _

_"__Let us have a man to man spar!" Lee added as he took Kiba by his arm and began to drag him along with the rest of the group. _

_A nice ass kicking would do Sai some good. Naruto had wanted to kick Sai's ass since they first met. But before the blond could follow an aggravated Kiba and a hyper Lee, a gasp and several heavy objects hitting the floor filled his ears. _

_Naruto turned around to see an elderly woman slowly bending down to pick up her scattered objects. Before the blond could make his way towards the elderly woman, an angelic figure appeared in front of the old woman and began to pick up the objects. _

_He watched as the mature woman stopped and smiled down at Hinata with a grateful look on her wrinkled face. Naruto could hear the woman thank Hinata as she handed her the objects. Hinata happily smiled as the woman placed her palm on Hinata's cheek. She bowed as the woman began to walk off. _

_Once the aged woman disappeared within the crowed, Hinata finally turned in the direction the rest of the group had gone. She met eyes with a smiling Naruto. She returned the smile as she walked up to the hero. He happily took her hand in his, feeling the soft texture. _

_She was in a war. She fought and trained, and yet, her hands were always soft and scar free. They felt comforting and warm. They welcomed him. Wounded and all. _

Naruto smiled as he turned his attention towards the beauty next to him. "I guess I do," he stated, grinning even more. "However, you're no different," he stated.

"How so?" Hinata tilted her head slightly to the side in confusion.

"Minutes after I took hold of your hand, you begin to play with my fingers," he said, feeling Hinata stop playing with his fingers.

She glanced down at their hands, a light blush appearing on her light colored skin.

Naruto took the opportunity and began to massage her palm with his hand. "You would massage my palm before warming up my cold fingers." His fingers moved over hers to bring warmth to them before using his index finger to lightly trail it across her palm. "Then you would play with it while doing something else." He looked up at his fiancé and noticed the light shade become darker. He smiled. "I like it." Her eyes met with his. "It feels nice."

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><p><strong>Cool, I'm back! It's been a while, has it not?<strong>

**I know I said I'd be back a little after New Year's, but I obviously lied. I apologize. **

**I'm lacking in everything. I do have a good explanation, though. No, I'm lying.**

**I was just reading Pandora Hearts, Attack on Titan, and Tokyo Ghoul. Now that I caught up several weeks ago, I just have no excuse for the past three weeks or so. **

**Till next time~**


	8. A Hyūga's Dream

Hinata shot up, a blood curling scream escaping her lips.

She sat in the darkness, listening to her heavy breathing as her eyes filled with tears.

The door opened and a small ray of light filled the room. "Hey." The familiar figure walked into the room, blocking the light. Hinata watched as Naruto removed his jacket before placing it on the chair next to the bedroom door.

He made his way towards her and sat at the edge of the bed in front of her. Naruto stared at her with a look of dissatisfaction on his face.

Hinata wanted to climb into his arms and feel protected by the light he held from the darkness that hovered behind her ready to consume her whole.

Naruto reached towards her, wiping her tears. "You were just having a nightmare," he said. Hinata shook her head. It couldn't have been a nightmare. It seemed too real.

The small ray of light hit his back. He looked like an angel that waited for Hinata to join him up in the skies. He looked fascinating. She waited to see if his white wings would unfurl and give off a golden glow, but Hinata believed she wasn't worthy enough to see them just yet.

Naruto sighed, causing Hinata to come back to reality. She watched him as he stood up from his spot and made his way around the bed. He climbed into bed and let his back rest against the headboard. He removed the blankets off of Hinata. Cold air hit her bare legs, causing her to bring them up to her chest and wrap her arms around them. The cold November air wasn't doing the young twenty-three year old Hyūga any good.

Naruto turned towards her and removed her arms from around her legs before sliding one arm between her legs and the other behind her back. He lifted her easily off the bed and onto his lap.

Hinata was surprised by how strong he was to lift her so easily. Then again Naruto has always been strong. He's proven that plenty of times.

Naruto leaned forward and grabbed the blanket, placing it over the shivering woman. Hinata felt one of his hands rest itself on her thigh while the other stayed on her waist.

"How do you know it's a dream?" Hinata couldn't help but ask the second Naruto sighed again. His hand that was around her waist moved its way up to her head.

Naruto began to play with strands of her hair, causing Hinata to shiver in delight.

"Because you're right here," he said, twirling her hair in his fingers.

"How do you know if it didn't happen already?" She wanted some sort of answer. Anything, really, that could give her some sort of relief.

"What happened with Neji is not your fault." Hinata froze. How did he know? "A lot of the times I could hear you scream before I entered the house. When I would get to the bedroom, you would pretend to be asleep."

Hinata remembered just yesterday when she could hear Naruto come down the hall. She was on the verge of tears, but she forced herself to lie back down and kept her eyes shut. She listened to him as he shuffled around the room before climbing into bed and wrapping his arms around her.

When she was in his arms, Hinata felt safe from the world. She would never have any nightmares when Naruto was next to her.

He was that ray of light that kept every horrifying thing away from her. That ray of light that saved her just like the sun that saved the rest of humanity.

She wanted to believe him—she really did. However, because she was _there, _and she had that opportunity to save him, that guilt would not leave her. Nobody's comforting words could save her from the nightmares that would come when she was alone.

There were times when Naruto would come home late, and there were other times when he would be gone for days at a time. When he was gone, Hinata's nightmares took over almost every night. She would scream, cry, and sometimes vomit, and no one could hear her. She was alone to suffer.

Naruto was never told about the worst part to her nightmares.

She opened her mouth to say something, but nothing ever came past her lips.

Naruto, on the other hand, had swiftly lifted Hinata and somehow maneuvered them to where they both lied on their sides. Hinata was pinned between Naruto and the headboard.

She watched him as he grabbed a hold of the blankets and pulled them over the both of them again. His eyes met hers once again before she felt his hand grab a hold of hers.

Losing Neji was the hardest thing to deal with since her mother's death. What if she lost Hanabi or her father? What if she lost Naruto?

She couldn't handle losing anyone else. It would kill her.

"Hey," Naruto said, his thumb running across her left eye to wipe away the unannounced tears. "I'm not going anywhere. I'll protect you until the day I die. We're married now. I'm yours, remember?" He smiled.

That smile, however, disappeared when Hinata continued to stare at him. He looked unsatisfied.

"I'm yours. I belong to you until you don't want me anymore. I will protect you, love you, and stay by your side for as long as I live." He continued to stare at her, his eyes searching for something Hinata couldn't figure out within her own. "Neji told me I hold more than one life to protect, and you are the most important life I want to keep close. I couldn't forgive myself if something was to happen to you, and I know Neji would feel the same. You were important to Neji, and he knew you were going to change the world. We're going to change this world and bring peace."

Hinata stared at him in disbelief. Every word he said hit her like a brick hitting a wall. If Neji were here and saw Hinata in the state that she was in, he would be furious. She promised him she would protect everything he cared for, and yet here she was being weak. Mourning was always natural, but Hinata could not continue to cry if she was going to change the world.

She had to get up off the ground and protect everything she and Neji fought for.

"Okay," she whispered.

Naruto smiled as he leaned forward and kissed her. "Great. Let's change this world together, okay?"

Hinata nodded before adding, "I wouldn't forgive myself if something were to happen to you, too."

Naruto grinned as he pressed his forehead against hers. "I know. That's why I'm not going to die."

Hinata's hand reached for his cheek, feeling his warm skin under her fingertips. "I won't die either."

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><p><strong>I'm getting back into the progress of writing. I need some sort of reward or something because I feel accomplished. <strong>

**Let's hope the next chapter comes out soon—once I figure out what to write about.**

**Till next time~**


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